Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Use of the

468b

The

is obligatory before superlative adjectives used attributively:

It’s 

the most interesting novel I’ve read in a long time.

(It’s most interesting novel I’ve read in a long time.)

She’s not 

the most approachable person, first thing in the morning.

(She’s not most approachable person, first thing in the morning.)

When a superlative adjective is used predicatively in expressions which define an

entity, the is obligatory:

His brother is quite tall but Henry is 

the tallest of them all.

(His brother is quite tall but Henry is tallest of them all.)

The

is optional before predicative adjectives in a wh-clause or in adverbial uses of

the superlative:

Let’s see who’s 

(the) quickest at answering these questions.

It depends on what’s 

(the) best for you personally.

Patsy arrived 

(the) earliest.